Apparatus for the manufacture of hardened glass



' Oct.'2, Y1951 v L. REMBAux 2,569,951

' V.APPR'IUSFOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HARDENED GLASS Filed July 24, 1947 Patented Oct. 2, 1 951 APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE F HARDENED GLASS Leon Rembaux, deceased, late of Brussels, Beli gium, by Anna Lucie Robert Rembaux and Germaine Mathilde Valerie Rembaux Thomassin, sole representatives, both of Brussels, Belglllm Application July 24, 1947, Serial No. '763,382 In Belgium September 1, 1941 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires September 1, 1961 Claims.

At present the use of hardened glass has delveloped considerably principally in the automobile industry. Such glass has indeed a great resistance to impact and when breaking, it only forms small fragments without sharp edges and therefore giving rise to no danger.

v- The object of the present invention to obvi- 'ate the inconveniences of the working furnaces in use; it relates firstly to an improvement according to which the glass sheets or plates are -moved vertically in successive heating rooms, so that this thermal treatment may be carried out with minimum deformation and minimum han- 'dling of the sheet which keeps a uniform thickness 'over its whole surface, whereby the risk of breakage of the glass sheet is also reduced.

The invention extends to an apparatus which is of particular advantage in carrying out the process above mentioned and is characterized by 'a plurality of compartments placed vertically above each other, for the glass sheets being treated passing therethrough.

l The invention further extends to other features hereinafter described and to various combinations thereof.

An apparatus according to the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing which shows a diagrammatical vertical section of the whole apparatus. The apparatus `comprises in accordance with the invention a plurality of compartments I, 2, 3, 4 placed above each other in vertical alignment and having walls `made of a refractory and heat insulating material. Compartment I in which the glass plates are shut in, is the preheating compartment.

Compartment 2 is the high temperature heating compartment.

Compartment 3 is the aerothermal treatment compartment. y

In this compartment the glass plates are subjected to the action of superheated air under 'pressure at 250 C., which produces tempering or hardening.

Compartment 4 is the temperature cooling compartment. Its function is to realize a thermal transition from compartment 3 to the surrounding atmosphere.

These various compartments I, 2, 3, 4 are connected with each other by openings 5 6, 1 through which passes an endless chain 8, one of the vertical strands 81 of which moves in the vertically placed compartments I, 2, 3, 4. This chain 4I3 carries 4tiltabletrays or frames 9 adapted to receive the i'glass Plates I0.

-- -The bottom I I, I2, I3 of each compartment 2,

3, 4 has an inclined shape, and the slope thus formed ends in an opening such as I4, I5, or I6 closed by a valve I4', I5', I6. The openings I4, I5, I6 are intended to evacuate the fragments of glass which might be due to the breaking of a glass plate being treated, and would get to the openings I4, I5, I6 after sliding on the inclined surfaces II, I2, I3. The heating of the various compartments is carried out in the following manner:

Compartment I contains an electric radiator such as I1 which directly heats said compartment so as to impart thereto the required preheating temperature. This radiator I'I moreover is combined withl an air` heating coil IB. The air driven by a compressor I9, is driven into the coil I8 then led into compartment 3.

A receptacle I9 with a filter may be interposed between the compressor I9 and the coil. I8.

The injection of hot air into compartment 3 occurs through two multitubular collectors 201, 202 with multiple ejecting nozzles. Each row of collectors 201, 202 may be moved while keeping parallel, so that they may be moved at will away from the conveyor 8.

The cooled air isevacuated by means of a sucking apparatus 2|, which sucks this air through a pipe 22.

Compartment 2 is heated directly by an electric radiator 23 adapted to give a high temperature,

As to compartment 4, this is heated by the residual heat from compartment 3. This compartment 4 is provided with air regulating valve following manner:

`The glass plates I0 to be hardened are brought by a truck 25 or by a conveyor in front of the opening 26 for charging compartment I.

Each glass plate is placed on one of the trays o1' frames 9 on the endless chain, after said frame has been tilted in the direction of arrow F1.

Once the glass sheet is fitted on the said frame 9, the latter is tilted back in the direction of arrow F2 and the opening 26 is closed. The endless chain 8 is moved in the direction of arrow F3 by its motor 21 driven by a reducing gear 28, and a device (not shown) causes the chain to sto'p when the glass plates are in any of the compartments I, 2, 3, 4. The distance between two successive compartments is equal to the distance between the frames 9 on the chain 81. In'this other through the various compartments I, 2, 3, 4,

feach compartment to a said plates stopping in each compartment for the time necessary for .the thermal exchanges.

The glass plates l thus are, in accordance with this invention, moved vertically through `successive heating rooms, where they are subjected to the required temperatures.

The thermal treatment of these glass plates .or sheets therefore is carried out with a minimum deformation since the sheets are subjected to a minimum handling. Furthermore vsaid `sheets keep their thickness over their whole' surface so that the risk of breaking is further reduced. The aerothermal treatment of the glass sheets in the compartment 3 may be regulated at will by varying the spacing of the hot air blowing collectors 201, 202 as explained above. Y

At the outlet of the last compartment 4, the glass sheets I0 are withdrawn by tilting along F1, the trays or frames carrying them. Said glass sheets may then be carried away by a truck 30 .or a conveyor.

What is claimed is:

Vl. In an apparatus for the manufacture Aof Vihardening glass plates, in combination, a `plu- :rality of compartments placed vertically, one

,above the other Iand communicating with veach other, an endless carrier moving at least' partly vertically, and through the vertically placed v sompafrtments, tiltable frames carried by' said endless carrier as supporting means for the glass plates, means for submitting the glass plates in different treatment whilst traversing Vthe compartments successively from the one situated at kthe lowest level -to the ,onesituated at the highest level, the lowest com- ,partment being la .rst preheating compartment and being provided with a lateral opening for the introduction therethrough of a vglass plate and for the depositing thereof on .one of the frames which has been put in the inclined posi-V tion, a second high temperature heating comypartment, a third tempering compartment and a fourth temperate cooling compartment.

, 2. In an apparatus Vfor the. manufacture of hardening glass plates, in combination, a plufrom the one situated at the 'lowest level to the vone ysituated at the highest level, the lowest Vcompartment being a rst preheating compartment .and being provided with a lateral opening for Ythe introductiontherethrough of a glass plate and for the depositing thereof on one of the :frames which has been put in the inclined Aposi- '.tion, a .second high temperature 'heating compartment, athird 'tempering compartment comprising on every side. of the endless carrier a -:multitubular collector having Amultiple ejecting nozzles'for superheated air .under pressure, and :ai fourth temperate cooling compartment.

3. In an apparatus for the manufacture of hardening glassplates, in combination, a plurality of compartments placed vertically, one above the other and communicating, with each other, an .endless carrier moving at least partly evertically, `and through the vertically placed compartments, tiltable frames carried by said endless carrier as lsupporting meansforv the glass. plates.

4 means for submitting the glass plates in each compartment to a differentY treatment whilst traversing the compartments successively from the one situated at the lowest level to the one situatedv at the highest level, the lowest compartment being a'irst preheating compartment and being provided with a lateral opening for the introduction therethrough of a glass plate and for the depositing thereof on one of the frames which has been put in the inclined posi- -tion, a second high temperature heating compartment, a third tempering compartment comprising on every side of the endless carrier a multitubular` collector having multiple ejecting nozzles for -superheated air under pressure, and a fourth temperate cooling compartment, the heating means for the lowest compartment being used for heating at the same time the air under 'pressure for the tempering treatment.

4. In apparatus for the manufacture of hard- -ening glass plates, in combination, -a plurality of compartments placed vertically one abovethe other and communicating with each other, an `endless carrier moving at least partly vertically, and through the vertically placed compartments, tiltable frames carried by Said endless carrier as supporting 'means for the glass plates, means for submitting the `glass plates in each compartment to a different treatment whilst traversing the lcompartments successively from one situated at the lowest level to the one .situated at the highest level, the lowest compartment being a first preheating compartment and being provided lwith a lateral opening for the .introduction therethrough of a glass plate and :for the depositing *thereof on one of the frames which has been put in the Vinclined position, a second high temperature heating compartment, a third tempering compartment comprising on every side of the endless carriera multitubular collector having multiple ejecti-ng nozzles. for superheated air under pressure, and` a fourth temperate Ycooling compartment, and means whereby the air -for the vtempering treatment-is heated by the heating means arranged-'in 4the lowest compartmentand is adductedto the ejecting nozzles of the tempering compartment.

5. In an apparatus for thel manu-facture of hardening glass plates, in combination, ra plurality of compartments placed vertically `one .above the other and communicating with each other, an endless carrier moving at least partly vertically, andthrough the vertically placedfcomvpartments, tiltable frames carried by said -endless carrier as supporting means for theV glass plates, means `for submittingV the glass platesl in each compartment to a different treatment whilst traversingy the compartments successively from the one situated at the lowest level tothe one situated-at the highest level, the lowest compartment being ,a rst preheating com-partment and being provided with a lateral opening for the introduction therethrough of a glass plate and for the depositing thereof on one of jthe frames which has been put in the inclined position, a second temperature -heating compartment, a third tempering compartment comprising onV every side .of the endless `carrier a multitubular collector having multipleejecting nozzles for superheated .ai-r under pressure andal fourth temperate cooling compartment, means whereby the air for the tempering treatment is heated by the .heating means arranged in the .lowest compartments and is adducted to' the e-jecting,

nozzles of .the tempering compartment, 'and means whereby the temperate cooling compartment is heated by convection by the residual hot air ascending from said tempering compartment and passing through the communication between the the two compartments.

ANNA LUCIE ROBERT REMBAUX,

GERMAINE MATHILDE VALERIE REMBAUX THOMASSIN, Sole Repesentatives of the Estate of LeonI Rembau, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 10 Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Temple et a1. Mar. 23, 1920 Axell Mar. 10, 1931 Fox et a1. Apr. 30, 1935 Goodwillie Dec. 31, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Italy Mar. 21, 1934 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1934 Belgium Oct. 31, 1941 Germany July 24, 1939 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HARDENING GLASS PLATES, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS PLACED VERTICALLY, ONE ABOVE THE OTHER AND COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER, AN ENDLESS CARRIER MOVING AT LEAST PARTLY VERTICALLY, AND THROUGH THE VERTICALLY PLACED COMPARTMENTS, TILTABLE FRAMES CARRIED BY SAID ENDLESS CARRIER AS SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THE GLASS PLATES, MEANS FOR SUBMITTING THE GLASS PLATES IN EACH COMPARTMENT TO A DIFFERENT TREATMENT WHILST TRAVERSING THE COMPARTMENTS SUCCESSIVELY FROM THE ONE SITUATED AT THE LOWEST LEVEL TO THE ONE SITUATED AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, THE LOWEST COMPARTMENT BEING A FIRST PREHEATING COMPARTMENT AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A LATERAL OPENING FOR THE INTRODUCTION THERETHROUGH OF A GLASS PLATE AND FOR THE DEPOSITING THEREOF ON ONE OF THE FRAMES WHICH HAS BEEN PUT IN THE INCLINED POSITION, A SECOND HIGH TEMPERATURE HEATING COMPARTMENT, A THIRD TEMPERING COMPARTMENT AND A FOURTH TEMPERATURE COOLING COMPARTMENT. 